Researchers may have dismissed the myth of the Nintendo Wii as a potent exercise tool, but research from a recent study shows that the trailblazer in active games, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), really functions as an effective form of exercise. The study, commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, found that the most difficult modes of DDR are actually, as one researcher put it, “a tremendous workout.”
The study enlisted volunteers between 12 and 25 who were already familiar with the game, then subjected them to rigorous testing with the game – sometimes for up to six hours a day. After establishing a baseline of fitness for each participant, they collected data on oxygen uptake, heart rate and rate of perceived exertion.
